Christmas Miracle
by mamaXunicorn
Summary: AU Series 4. Every year for the last several years Rose Tyler wished for the same thing. She never thought this would be the year that it would actually happen.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I'm not sure where this came from being its April and everything...I hope you all don't mind reading a Christmas fic in April...**_

_**Anyway, like I said its AU series 4 and Doctor/Rose fluff heavy, just the way I like it. I hope I got their characters down, including Donna. **_

_**Well, read and enjoy!**_

* * *

><p><em><em>Rose walked along the halls of the shopping centre her arms full of bags that were not even her own. Her mother had dragged her along with her and Tony as she went last minute christmas shopping. Rose didn't really _want_ to go, they were making so much progress in Torchwood building the dimension cannon and the longer she spent away from Torchwood the longer it would take to get back to the Doctor. But her mother insisted in classic Jackie fashion that she needed a break from Torchwood and building and researching, it was christmas time after all. Jackie claimed they'd have fun shopping together but Rose found herself stuck as the pack mule while her mother dragged her little brother around the stores buying anything and everything. (She took full advantage of her husband's riches. The first shopping trip Jackie went on in this new universe had Pete laughing and remarking that no matter what universe Jackie came from she'd always be the same. That earned him a glare and a nice slap on the arm.)

Rose didn't even know where her mother was at the moment. Rose got lost in her thoughts, thinking about Torchwood and more importantly about the Doctor and if he was celebrating christmas alone, she hoped to the heavens he wasn't alone, and didn't hear her mother call out to her to tell her she was taking Tony elsewhere.

Rose only noticed their absence when she briefly was shaken from her thoughts by a screaming child and realized she no longer heard her mother's incessant chattering behind her.

Rose huffed, shifting the many bags in her arms and gazed through the cracks between them to see where she was going. However the small cracks of sight proved not to be enough when she collided head on with another being. She and the other woman gasped as the bags toppled to the floor.

"I am so sorry." They both apologized at the same time, briefly glanced at each other, smiled and then simultaneously began to pick up the bags.

"I'm sorry." Rose began gathering the bags around her knees, glancing up at the slightly older, ginger woman. "These are my mum's, she dumped 'em on me, and their sort of hard to see through."

"Been there." The other woman smiled and once the bags were all settled around Rose, they both stood up, sharing another smile. "I wasn't really looking where I was going either. I sort of lost my friend." She snapped with a hint of annoyance and Rose held back a smirk. "He's always doing that to me, running away without a word, I swear he's got an attention span of goldfish that one."

That time Rose couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face but it was bittersweet. "I had a mate like that once." She sighed as the Doctor's grinning face flashed through her mind. "Couldn't sit still if you asked him to." Her voice was soft and low. She couldn't keep the sadness out of her tone even if she wanted to.

"What happened to him?" The ginger woman asked, her voice and face softening.

Rose swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed back the tears springing at her eyes. "He uh..." She cleared her throat. "We were separated- He's a world away now." She laughed a bit sardonically. He was a lot more than a world away, he was a whole universe away.

"I'm sorry."

Rose brushed a strand of her hair away from her face and smiled up at the stranger, blowing a puff of air out of her lips. "S'alright." It wasn't. "I'm trying to get back to him. I have to you know, he's-he's everything." She paused and then her cheeks flushed as she realized she was spilling her guts to this total stranger who she so rudely crashed into not minutes ago. "I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about this."

"Oh no that's alright." The woman smiled reassuringly. "You need to tell somebody right? And as for your lost friend, who knows, you might get a Christmas miracle."

Rose's heart rate immediately increased at the thought of seeing the Doctor again. She wasn't sure why she was allowing herself to hope, the only thing she wished for the last few Christmases in this universe was to see the Doctor again, she didn't know what would make this year any more special. However, something told her to trust this stranger and so, for however brief it was, she allowed herself to hope that maybe this would be the year.

"Thanks." Rose whispered with a smile. "What's your name?"

"I'm Donna, Donna Noble." Donna extended her hand outwards and Rose welcomely took it.

"Rose Tyler."

The smile on Donna's face immediately fell and a look of shock and disbelief crossed her features. Rose dropped Donna's hand and furrowed her brow, wondering why Donna looked like she just told her that she was Jesus Christ.

"You're Rose." She whispered, sounding distant.

"Yes." Rose nodded slowly still eyeing the woman cautiously.

The smile immediately returned to Donna's face and before Rose knew what was coming Donna launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around the younger woman tightly. "Oh this is brilliant!" She squealed into her ear and Rose stood there a bit taken a back.

"I-I'm sorry." Rose pulled out of Donna's grip. She liked the woman fine but the hugging was a bit much and a little confusing. "Do I know you or something?"

"No." Donna shook her head, the smile still bright on her face and Rose swore that her eyes were even glistening. "No you don't know me but I know you. Well, sort of." Rose cocked an eyebrow and then remembered that her father was a famous inventor and the news of Pete and Jackie Tyler's twenty year old daughter appearing seemingly out of nowhere still was a topic even after the few years they'd been there.

"Right." Rose nodded in apparent understand. "Rose Tyler, heiress to the Tyler fortune..." She trailed off with a sigh.

"No, no, that's not it." Donna shook her head and suddenly Rose was intrigued.

"I'm Donna." The ginger repeated and Rose wondered where this was going and Donna's face softened into one of joy and relief and perhaps love. "I travel with the Doctor."

Rose suddenly felt as if the world had come to a stop. She could hear nothing but the sound of her own heart beat, see nothing but Donna's smiling face, feel nothing as if she was floating in mid air. She didn't even realize she wasn't breathing until Donna reached out and gently touched her arm, calling her name softly.

A breath left Rose's lungs and escaped her mouth in a whimper and her eyes filled with tears as she locked gazes with Donna. "The Doctor is here?" She squeaked, hardly believing this moment to be real.

"Yeah." Donna grinned, letting her arm fall to the side. "He's here." She licked her lips and narrowed her eyes, scanning her eyes across the crowd. "Somewhere...don't know where that bloody martian ran off to."

Rose's hand slapped over her mouth to muffle the half sob and half laugh that escaped her throat. She didn't even bother to wipe away the single tear that was running down her cheek. "Martian?" She asked with a sniffle once she took her hand away from her mouth.

Donna rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I know he's not a martian but its fun to mess with that Time Lord ego of his. He hates when I call him a martian." She grinned cheekily. "It's why I love doing it."

A few quiet whimpers escaped Rose's lips and a relieved smile spread across her face. She remembered that Time Lord ego, she knew that Time Lord ego, she _loved_ that Time Lord ego and that Time Lord and his ego was here possibly just around the corner.

Tears continued to incessantly roll down her cheeks and she knew she couldn't stop them even if she wanted to. She tried to speak and say something, anything to this wonderful woman who had somehow brought her Doctor back to her but she found herself suddenly incapable of speech.

Donna watched the young woman before her with a soft smile and a warm heart. She didn't know what to expect when she met Rose Tyler, she knew she had to be something special to capture the Doctor's hearts like she did but she didn't quite understand how deep their feelings for each other actually ran. Donna loved the Doctor, nothing more than platonic but Rose Tyler, this young, sweet blonde woman loved the Doctor unconditionally and with all her heart and her soul. She was driven to tears and lost her speech at just the mention of his name and Donna felt accomplished that she was able to convince the Doctor to break all his own rules and find his Rose and bring the two back together.

If only he would show his blooming face.

Just then Donna caught a flash of wild hair and brown billowing coat in the crowd behind Rose and she smiled.

Blinking past her tears, Rose glanced up at Donna to see her smiling past her shoulder. Rose's breath caught in her chest. Without even looking she knew who Donna was smiling at.

With her heart thudding almost painfully loud against her chest Rose slowly turned around, her eyes seeking the man she hadn't seen for years.

Another whimper escaped her lips as her gaze landed on him, frozen in a sea of people, staring back at her. Her tears blurred her vision and she quickly wiped at her eyes to keep the image of him in focus.

She wanted to move, she wanted to run to him, have the familiar and strong, warm arms holding her once again but her feet couldn't move. It almost felt like too much a dream to be real. She had imagined this moment since the second he disappeared off of Bad Wolf Bay and every time it had been the same. He stood a good distance away from her, dressed in his usual attire, brown pin stripe suit, dirty white trainers, brown trench coat and his hair in its usual wild fashion. A smile would form on his face and his deep, soulful eyes beckoned her to him but just as she would whisper his name he'd disappear again. She feared that this moment was just as the others, the Doctor wasn't really there and she would be left alone.

Suddenly she felt Donna's hand on the small of her back, giving her a slight nudge forward. "Go on. He's waiting for you." She whispered and the words sent a chill down her spine.

She took one step forward and her heart leapt when the Doctor did not disappear. She took another two steps forward and still he remained where he was. Her steps became larger and more frequent and once she realized that this wasn't a dream, she took off in a run, faster than she had ever run before, not even acknowledging she was in a public place with lots of people around. She didn't see them, she couldn't see them, all she saw was him, him and his glorious smile.

His arms had left their positions at his side and were now extended out in front of him, awaiting her to fall into them. However, she did the opposite of falling.

A loud sob escaped her lips as she jumped on him, her legs twisting around his skinny waist and her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. He stumbled backwards from the force but quickly caught his balance and slid his arms around her, one hand resting on her lower back to keep her in place and the other sliding up towards the back of her neck.

His eyes slammed shut, cutting himself off from the shocked and confused stares of the people around them and only focused on Rose. A grin split across his face and he buried his nose into her neck, inhaling the scent that had been imbedded into his brain, and one that along with Time and the TARDIS was one of the scents that could calm him completely.

Rose was shaking in his arms and her quick panting breaths tickled the skin at the base of his neck.

"Rose." He whispered near her ear and she sobbed again, grabbing fistfuls of his coat and holding onto him tighter.

It felt like heaven on Earth to be in the Doctor's arms again. To feel his warmth, the rhythmical thudding of his two hearts, the bare skin of his cheek against hers and the sound of his voice saying her name. She had longed for this moment for so long, for _too_ long and now that it was finally here she could not control the emotions running through her body. Relief, joy, love, desperation, all at once filling her to the brim and spilling out through means of salty tears.

With her fists still gripping onto the material of his coat tightly she slowly lifted her head to look down at him. Feeling her movement the Doctor opened his eyes and met hers.

"Hello." He murmured with a broad grin, similar to the first time she'd met the new him.

Her own grin widened and a few more tears fell at the memory of what seemed so long ago. "Hello." She whispered back for that was the loudest she could make her voice go.

His hand that rested on the base of her neck slowly travelled upwards to tangle itself in her hair, holding their intense gaze in place though Rose knew she couldn't look away from his eyes for anything.

His eyes twinkled in merriment as he asked, "Did you miss me?" with a cheeky grin.

A joyous laugh bubbled out of her lips and she nodded fervently. "Yes." She inhaled sharply. "Oh god, yes."

He shook his head softly, staring deep into her eyes. "My Rose..."

"My Doctor..." An unnameable force, some may call it the power of love, caused Rose's head to slowly duck forward. Her eyes remained locked on his and for a few moments his on hers then, quickly, so quick if Rose hadn't been watching him so intently she would have missed it, his eyes flickered down to her lips.

Her breath hitched in her chest and time passed incredibly, achingly slow as their faces inched closer and closer. They weren't sure what was holding them back, it was what both of them had dreamed about doing if they were to ever see each other again. Hug (they were sure doing that), kiss (they'd get there eventually) and never let go of each other again.

Both their lips were slightly parted and they could feel the warmth of each other's breath on their lips. Their eyes had fluttered closed and their foreheads touched ever so lightly.

"Oh would you just bloody kiss her?" Donna Noble's loud, demanding voice carried across the distance to reach their ears.

His lips twitched in a smirk and he obeyed, his fingers tangling in her hair and closed the short distance between, bringing their lips together in a searing kiss.

Rose inhaled sharply as soon as their lips met and a warmth flooded through her body focusing in the center of her abdomen where it flipped and turned from the rush of emotion. Her hands finally let go of his coat and travelled upwards, one resting on the base of his neck and the other tangling in the wild, thicker hair on the top of his head, holding him close just incase he decided to change his mind. Though judging from the low moan that bubbled in his throat as her fingernails lightly dug into his scalp he would not be changing his mind. Her lower limbs grew weak at the sound and more heat surged through her and her mouth opened automatically, craving as much of him as possible.

He responded just as passionately, his mouth pressing harder against hers. They continued the kiss for as long as they possibly could, until Rose could no longer breathe, until both their heads were spinning, until the Doctor's legs were shaking from holding all of Rose's weight for an extensive amount of time.

"Rose." His voice was strained as he mumbled against her lips, neither of them wanting to part just yet.

"Doctor?" She whispered back breathlessly.

"Can you um..." He paused and at his sudden silence Rose lifted her head and met his eyes.

"Can I what?"

He cleared his throat, getting lost in her eyes for a moment. "I uh-I'm not as strong as I like to make everyone believe I am."

Rose stared at him quietly, her eyebrow lifting in question and then she realized that her legs were still wrapped tightly around him. Her cheeks flushed and she murmured an apology as she untangled her hands from his hair, supporting herself by holding on to his neck and slowly unwrapped herself from him and lowered her feet to the ground. Her legs wobbled, still weak from that brilliant kiss and she was glad she decided to still hold on to him.

"Thank you." He grinned and reinforced his gratitude with a soft peck of his lips to the tip of her nose.

Rose's heart fluttered at the very simple but deep show of affection. The Doctor held her hand, hugged her, kissed her forehead countless times but to kiss her nose was different somehow, it was more intimate and so unlike the Doctor. Something that proved his feelings for her for just as real as her feelings for him and that kiss they shared meant everything. Things were going to change between them, things that she wished and hoped would happen but she thought never could.

As she smiled brightly up at him, her eyes shone with all the love she held for him. His hands moved to cup her cheeks and his thumbs wiped away the tears that occasionally still trickled out of her eyes.

She let out a breath, closed her eyes and leaned into his palms, her lips brushing up against his skin. She shook her head against his hands and sniffled quietly, biting out a quiet laugh. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess."

"You're not a mess." The Doctor protested.

She opened her eyes and shot him a look. "Oh shut it, don't try to be nice. I probably look absolutely horrid, I've been crying. My eyes and nose are all red and puffy, my make up is probably smeared all over the place. Over all I say I look pretty un-" She was cut off by his lips over hers. She stilled for a second and then melted against him, responding to the soft kiss.

"Never Rose Tyler, never." He whispered once they parted and she let out a shaky breath before opening her eyes and smiling at him.

He returned the smile and lowered his forehead to rest against hers and she sighed at the contact. His hands left her face and traveled down to rest on her hips, making sure to keep her body close to his.

Her hands then untangled themselves from behind his neck and one slid to rest on his chest over one of his rapidly beating hearts and the other to cup his cheek, running the tips of her fingers over his sideburns. "I can't believe you're really here."

"Neither can I." He whispered and she started to lean in to kiss him again when he kept talking. "I mean, it shouldn't be physically possible. I can't understand why the universes are not collapsing, there's no sign of damage at all, it doesn't make any sense..." He trailed off when Rose's hand slapped over his mouth. He glanced down at her hand, his eyes widening and then settled back on her eyes. Her lips twitched in a smirk and her eyebrows raised. "Doctor, I have missed your voice and your ramblings..." "Oi!" His muffled protest came from underneath her hand. "_But_ for once, could you shut it and let me kiss you."

His eyebrows shot into his hairline at her forwardness and he nodded dumbly. She removed her hand from his mouth, stared for a long moment at his pouty lips and then claimed them with her own. She smiled once she felt him start to respond to the kiss and slid both her hands onto his chest, the feel of his hearts beating making her feel more at home then she had the last four years on this parallel Earth.

The kiss was just starting to heat up when a loud buzzing interrupted them from inside Rose's pocket. She groaned in protest and felt the Doctor starting to move away so she grabbed him by his lapels and kept his mouth on hers while her phone kept buzzing.

Eventually it stopped and Rose smirked and then allowed herself to get lost in the feel and taste of the Doctor. Everything about the man was intoxicating to her, she knew she could stand there and kiss him forever and never need anything more.

However as usual the universe had other plans and her phone went off again and if it was possible, sounded even louder than before. With a heavy sigh she broke the kiss, dug the phone out of her pocket and slammed it against her ear, leaving a breathless Time Lord swaying there.

"What?" She snapped in annoyance.

"_Oi! Don't snap at me!_" Jackie Tyler's voice scolded through the phone. _"I was just calling to see where you were!" _

"Sorry." Rose mumbled and ran a hand through her hair and then sniffled. "I ah-" She looked around and caught sight of the nearest store sign. "I'm near Henriks."

_Henriks._ The familiar name echoed in her head and she turned to look at the Doctor, wondering if he recognized the importance of the name but was amused to find he still looked a bit dazed.

"_Rose?"_ Jackie's voice was calmer now, softer and caring. _"Are you alright? Sounds like you been crying..." _

Rose smiled to herself and swiped at her now dry eyes just incase. "I'm fine mum. Fantastic even. Yes," She nodded, locking eyes with the Doctor as he grinned at her happily. "Fantastic."

"_Rose, you know you can tell me anything sweetheart, don't have to hide it from me, d' ya want to go home, I thought this would be good for you, I didn't mean to upset you, I'm done now we can go-" _She kept on talking and the Doctor sniggered quietly and Rose shot him a quick look and elbowed him. He let out an 'oof' and glared at her and she just rolled her eyes returning back to the phone call to cut off her mother.

"Mum! Really, I'm fine its just-" She trailed off and took a step closer to the Doctor, leaning her head against his shoulder and smiled as he buried his nose into her hair. "He's here."

"_Who's here?"_

"The Doctor."

There was silence on the other line for a good few moments and Rose thought that her mother had hung up on her.

"Mum?"

"_Oh Rose..." _Jackie sighed quietly and Rose frowned knowing what she was thinking. There were many times over the last few years that Rose swore on her life she heard the TARDIS and ran outside standing there for hours waiting for the blue box to appear.

"I'm serious! He's really here." She titled her head back to look at him and held her phone out, motioning for him to say something.

"Hello Jackie!" The Doctor greeted enthusiastically and Jackie's loud gasp reached their ears.

"_D-Doctor? What are you doing here?" _

"Weeeellll," He tugged at his ear and pursed his lips, "The how is still a mystery to me but the why I think is pretty obvious." He winked at Rose and she grinned, her tongue poking out the side of teeth.

"_Listen to me, the both of you, you stay right where you are, I need to have a word with you you bloody alien." _

His eyes widened slightly and he swallowed thickly. "Yes ma'am."

"_Right, be there in a mo'." _The phone clicked as she hung up and Rose flipped it closed and shoved it back into her pocket.

"Not here an hour and already I'm in trouble with your mother." The Doctor shook his head, glancing down at Rose.

"You don't know what she's gonna do." Rose shrugged.

He raised his eyebrows pointedly. "She's your mother, I know exactly what she's gonna do."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, through she tried to hide the amusement on her face and pinched his side.

"Oi!" He jumped back, pouting. "I'm speaking the truth that's all."

"Yeah," Rose agreed, "That's the problem."

He huffed. "I can't change who I am. Well, actually I can, but I don't really want to." He grinned broadly. "I like this body." He winked at her and she bit her lip, leaning into his shoulder.

"You can't ever change on me again."

He chuckled. "Well, I'll try, though with all the danger you get me into I'm bound to die eventually."

She gasped and pulled back to gape at him. "_I _get you into?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, you're very jeopardy friendly, Rose Tyler. One of the most jeopardy friendly humans I've ever had the pleasure of traveling with." At her incredulous look he started to riff a list, "Getting yourself trapped on Platform One, the dalek in Van Statten's museum, the reapers,the barrage balloon, The weakest link,"

"_That_ wasn't my fault!"

"Absorbing the Time Vortex,"

"Also not my fault, you left me what else was I supposed to do?"

"...Mickey..."

"What about Mickey?"

"...the Wire, and lets not even mention that stint with the devil..."

"I'm sorry Doctor, but who is the one with the time traveling phone box? Without you I'm just a shop girl."

"Nah," he threw his arm around her shoulders and held her to his side, grinning down at her brightly, "You're so much more than that Rose Tyler."

"Thanks to you." She offered softly with a smile.

He pursed his lips and shook his head. "I don't think so, no, you always would have been brilliant."

"I think you think too highly of me Doctor. I really was a nothing before you came along and swept me off my feet."

"Impossible." He remarked with a sniff. "You know why? Because if you were a nothing then I wouldn't have taken you with me. I've seen human beings who are nothing and you Rose Tyler are definitely not nothing."

Rose smiled at him, love shining in her eyes and silently she lowered her head to rest in the crook of his neck. He kissed the top of her head affectionately and held her tighter.

As the couple stood there quietly, relishing in the feel of being near each other again, Donna approached them slowly, a pleased smile on her face.

"Aren't you two just adorable?" She cooed as she neared them.

"Donna!" The Time Lord exclaimed lifting his head from where it rested on Rose's.

Donna held up her hand, grinning knowingly. "Don't move on my account, I was just getting lonely over there by myself but was waiting for you two to be done...reacquainting yourselves."

Rose's cheeks flushed and hid her face against the Doctor's chest and he lowered his eyes to the ground, smirking and shifting awkwardly.

The Doctor cleared his throat, "Right then, Rose, this is Donna, Donna this is -"

"Oh save it spaceman, we've met."

"What? When?"

"Just minutes ago." Rose answered, lifting her head and then smiled at Donna. "She's the one who told me you were here."

"You're welcome." Donna remarked smugly.

A soft, grateful smile tugged at his lips. "Good ol' Donna."

Donna was about to remark when they heard a screech of "Oh My God!"

All three of them turned to see Jackie Tyler, little Tony attached to her hand, standing a few paces away, gaping at them.

"It's really you!"

The Doctor shrugged with an impish grin. "It's really me."

Jackie dragged Tony across the distance between them and once they were close enough, she dropped his hand and threw her arms around the Time Lord's neck.

The Doctor stumbled back out of shock and shot a desperate, questioning look at Rose who looked just as shocked as he was. The hug only lasted a moment before Jackie pulled away and gave him a stern look before slapping his cheek.

"Oh yep." The Doctor blinked and then rubbed his reddening cheek. "There it is. There's the Jackie I know."

"I didn't know whether to hug you or hit you, so I did both." Jackie offered up in explanation.

"Good to see you too Jackie." He answered dryly.

"Oh, I like her!" Donna remarked from behind the Doctor and he shot a look over his shoulder.

"Who's she?" Jackie pointed to the ginger.

"I'm Donna, Donna Noble. I travel with this lug." She motioned her head towards the Doctor.

"Oi!" He cried.

Jackie eyed Donna for a moment or two and she narrowed her eyes at Jackie's scrutinizing stare.

"You replaced Rose?" Jackie asked slowly, turning to stare hardly at the Doctor.

"Mum!" Rose shrieked.

"What?" The Doctor exclaimed almost at the same time. "No, no, no, no, no. Jackie it's not like that."

"Then what's it like?"

"Mum," Rose began and moved to take the Doctor's hand in hers, "He's had a lot of companions before me and when we- when we were separated I knew he'd find another one. I'm glad he did as well, I don't want him to be alone. He should never have to be alone."

The Doctor turned to her, floored. Rose Tyler continued to surprise and awe him with each little thing that came out of her mouth. This human being would give up her life for him, her _family_, for _him._ _"I made my choice a long time ago and I'm never gonna leave you."_ And even if she couldn't be with him, she wanted him to find somebody else to travel with just so he wouldn't have to be alone. No one ever thought about him like that, not really. If he wasn't in front of her mother he would lean down and kiss her but he was so he settled for squeezing her hand showing his gratitude for her in that way.

Rose smiled, catching his silent message and rested her head against his shoulder.

"'sides," Donna piped in, "I could never take her place even if I wanted to, which I don't, he's just a big alien nothing but if I did he wouldn't let me." Donna threw an obvious wink at the Doctor and Rose.

Jackie observed the wink, furrowed her brow suspiciously and her gaze fell upon the Doctor and Rose who were standing even closer together than normal and then to where their hands met between them in an intimate hold.

Jackie was aware of the feelings that Rose had for the Time Lord, you wouldn't dedicate your life to finding your way back to someone that you didn't love, and she knew that the Doctor cared about Rose. She was unaware up until this point that his adoration of her daughter went well beyond just a companion. And although Jackie wanted nothing more than for her Rose to be happy, she wasn't quite sure how she felt about a nine hundred year old time traveling alien being in love with her twenty three year old daughter. Plus she knew the Doctor's aversion to the domestics, now that Rose found the Doctor again she surely would want to travel with him and she would leave this world forever. Jackie didn't like the thought of losing her only daughter especially when she'd be in another universe doing who knows what who knows where with an alien who can change his face.

But Rose knew what she wanted, she told Jackie a long time ago that she wouldn't stop until she found the Doctor and once she did, if he still wanted her, she'd travel with him until the end of time. And seeing her now, her arm linked with the Doctor's, her classic tongue-in-teeth grin, and a brightness in her eyes that Jackie hadn't seen in years, Jackie knew that she'd have to let her go. Rose belonged with the Doctor because as much as she needed him, he needed her as well.

When she came out of her thoughts she found the Doctor and Donna arguing and she cut in, "Hold on, if you don't like him, why do you travel with him?"

Donna turned to her, surprised. "Don't like him? Oh I bloody love him! Just not like your daughter does. He saved my life and he's just absolutely brilliant." She turned to a smug looking Doctor and snapped a pointer finger at him. "Don't let that go to your head Time Lord, you're still nothing."

Jackie furrowed her brow and glanced at Rose who was smirking in amusement. "Do you understand what's going on here?"

"Just same ol' Donna." The Doctor explained.

"Oi! Watch it spaceman! Just because your girlfriend's around don't think I'll go easy on you."

The Doctor and Rose both gaped at Donna and her bluntness and her choice of words for Rose's title. They quickly shot an awkward glance at each other and then just as quick looked away, Rose biting her lip, her cheeks flushing and the Doctor rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, his other hand still refusing to let go of Rose's.

"Girlfriend?" Jackie screeched suddenly and the not-quite-a-couple jumped. "Hold on, I thought you two weren't-"

"We're not, mum." Rose cut her off a bit too quickly and refused to look the Doctor in the eyes even though she could feel his eyes upon her. _Not yet..._

"Might as well be." Donna muttered under her breath and then at the looks she received from the other three, smiled innocently.

Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head, briefly meeting the Doctor's gaze, part of her hoping he couldn't see right through to her secret desire to bring their relationship to the level Donna mentioned.

She was just getting lost in his deep brown eyes when he suddenly whipped his head forward, settling his eyes on the little boy attached to Jackie's leg, watching them curiously.

"Oh hello!" He greeted cheerfully and finally let go of Rose's hand to kneel down to get eye level with Tony. "And who're you then?"

Tony frowned and pressed up against his mother's leg for protection. Rose smiled fondly and knelt down beside the Doctor.

"S'alright Tony. D'you remember all those stories I told you? About the Doctor?"

The Doctor looked at her, his eyebrows raised in intrigue. Rose caught his glance and smirked but continued to talk to Tony.

"Well, this is him," She reached out and placed her hand over the Doctor's wrist. "This is the Doctor."

Tony's brown eyes widened as he took in the sight of the Doctor. He hesitantly released Jackie's leg and approached his sister and the Doctor slowly. "You're the Doctor?"

"Oh yes." He grinned.

"Do you really fight bad aliens?"

"Oh yes." He repeated. "I fight bad aliens all the time. It's my job."

A smile, that in a weird way reminded him of Rose's, spread across his face and his eyes lit up as if he just met his favorite super hero. "That is so cool." He whispered in an adorable three year old lisp.

The Doctor continued to grin at him. "Well, now you know who I am, I think I should know who you are, what's your name?"

"Tony." The little blonde beamed bouncing up and down on his heels.

The Doctor shot his hand out and Tony slipped his smaller hand willingly into his. "It's nice to meet you Tony Tyler."

"Nice to meet you Doctor." Tony answered gleefully.

The Doctor shot a wink at him and ruffled his hair as he stood up. His grin faded as he caught sight of Jackie's 'Don't even think about it' look.

"I'd never take a _child._" He exclaimed, appalled.

"Better not." Jackie sniffed and walked over to Tony lying a protective hand over his shoulder. "This one is going to stay on Earth if I have anything to stay about it."

"Quite right too." He flicked his nose looking down at the youngest Tyler. "Don't need another Tyler out there."

"Oi!" Jackie and Rose exclaimed at the same time and Rose nudged her elbow into his side with a scowl.

"I was kidding!" He cried, his hand flying to cover where Rose nudged him.

"But speaking of," Jackie's voice was softer now, sadder. "Rose, how long do we have?"

"For what?" Rose asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

She nudged her head in the Doctor's direction. "Until he whisks you away again."

The question seemed to take both of them by surprise and they met each other's gaze. It was never stated that Rose would go back to traveling with the Doctor but he had come all this way and he certainly wasn't going to stay.

"Could you at least wait until after Christmas, yeah? So Rose could spend one more Christmas with the family." Jackie was practically pleading. She knew what it meant now that the Doctor was back, he'd take her away, forever. He'd go back to the other universe and take Rose with him and she would never be able to see her daughter again.

"Yeah." The Doctor agreed quietly, staring at Rose for a good few moments and then turning to smile at Jackie. "The TARDIS needs a couple days to repair herself anyhow. No place to go, so why not?"

A bright smile spread across Rose's face and she grabbed hold of the Doctor's arm, holding onto it tightly and leaning against him as he smiled down at her.

"What about me?" Donna asked, placing her hands on her hips, looking straight at the Doctor. "You can't just leave me here on my own."

Rose focused her attention on Donna and chuckled, "You're invited too, Donna. We wouldn't have it any other way."

"Oh." Donna's arms fell to her side and her tense shoulders relaxed and she smiled. "Brilliant then!"

Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes, digging around in her purse for her cell phone. "I better call Pete and let him know we have guests." She walked off to call her husband leaving Tony with Rose.

"So..." Rose grinned up at the Doctor, still hanging onto his arm.

"Christmas!" He beamed. "Love Christmas! The people, you humans are brilliant on Christmas, preaching all about 'Joy to the world' while you swarm and stomp all over each other to get the good gifts first. Decorations! All the green and red, tinsel and holly, christmas trees, and good ol' jolly St. Nick." Rose and Donna shuddered at the memory of the robot santa's. "And the food, ah, the food. Turkey! Although..."

Rose pinched the skin on the back of his hand and he yelped. "What was that for?"

"Don't insult my mum's cooking. She's gotten better y'know, Dad's taught her a few things. Apparently this world's Jackie wasn't that good of cook either."

"No surprise there." He muttered under his breath and she pinched him again.

"Ow! Stop it!"

"Be nice." She scolded him as if he were the three year old hanging onto her other hand.

"I _am_ being nice!" He retorted.

"You're being rude."

"Rude and not ginger, that's me." He grinned proudly.

"What about gingers?" Donna accused suddenly glaring at the Time Lord.

The Doctor turned around to face her looking like a deer caught in headlights. "Uh-"

"The Doctor wanted to be ginger." Rose elaborated with a grin. "He's gotta thing for 'em or something."

"I do not!" The Doctor insisted.

"Right," Donna said with a knowing smirk, "You've got a thing for blondes."

Rose blushed and sucked on her lower lip expecting the Doctor to pass off Donna's remark and get a little awkward but to her great surprise (and delight) he simply said, "Actually just one blonde in particular." Then he tilted his head towards her and winked.

Her heart fluttered and a grin spread across her face and she quickly pushed herself up onto her toes and kissed his cheek affectionately. He turned to face her fully, his eyes shining brightly with adoration and his face lit up in a beaming smile.

Rose hummed contentedly and nuzzled her head into his shoulder.

Rose wasn't sure what had brought him here, or what might happen because of it, all that mattered was that he was here and as far as Rose was concerned she was never going to leave his side again. She made him a promise and she intended to keep that promise.

Forever.

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><p><em><strong>AN: This could be a one-shot or I could continue it depending on if you all want to read it. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! I'd really appreciate some feedback!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you all so much for your kind reviews! Here's the next installment, hope you enjoy! **_

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><p>After an excruciatingly long car ride back to the Tyler mansion with the Doctor complaining about how he was forced to sit in the back seat despite the fact that Rose offered and did sit next to him the whole ride there, they finally reached the familiar mansion.<p>

Jackie and Donna were the first ones out of the car, being they were the two in the front seats and they were the two who could not stand the Doctor's moaning for one more second.

Rose unbuckled Tony from his car seat and helped him out of the car, rolling her eyes as the Doctor continued to chatter on as he himself got out of the vehicle.

"...and furthermore, despite what _any_ of you have to say, I happen to be a very good driver. Driving a TARDIS is a much more complex and sophisticated process than driving a twenty first century Earth vehicle so don't even think about comparing the two together. I can drive any vehicle on Earth in any century with exact precision and skill."

The Doctor finally seemed to realize that the women around him were all staring. Of course that wasn't something completely out of the ordinary, he got stared at wherever he went, he just had one of those faces. However it was the way the women were staring at him that made him pause. Rose had one hand on her hip, the other grasping Tony's smaller hand, and her lips formed an amused smirk. Jackie looked the opposite of amused with her arms crossed over her chest, a stern frown on her face looking like she could slap him at any moment. Donna looked like a mixture between the two Tyler women, a tiny smirk on her lips but her eyebrow raised sternly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What?" He asked the three innocently.

"I don't care if you are a Time Lord, or whatever," Jackie waved her hands in the air with an eye roll and the Doctor raised his brow, "if you were a human being I still wouldn't let you drive my car."

"Fine." He huffed. "I'll pretend to understand your reasoning for that but did you really have to put me in the back?"

"If you'd have stopped complaining for one moment you'd have realized I'd done you a favor." Jackie shot back and his eyes narrowed in question. "Yeah," she nodded in Rose's direction, "Watch that be the last time I let the two of you be so close in my presence again."

The Doctor's jaw dropped and he quickly glanced at Rose who was trying to hide a grin.

"Rose was practically sittin' in your lap and you were too busy moaning and whining to even notice!"

The Doctor continued to gape at Jackie in silence. Donna was obviously trying to hide her amusement at the sight of the stunned Doctor and Rose was biting her lip softly watching him curiously, waiting to see what he'd say in response.

However when he did finally speak the words to come out of his mouth shocked everybody. "I do_ not _ whine."

"Oh bloody hell." Jackie muttered, rolling her eyes dramatically and turning around to head for the house. Donna simply shook her head in the Time Lord's direction and then followed after Jackie.

"What?" He called after their retreating figures and then looked at Rose who still looked amused. "I don't whine! Rose, you can attest to that, can't you?"

She gave him a pointed look but remained silent and as an offended look crossed his face she laughed and looked down at her little brother. "Come on Tony, lets get inside, yeah?"

"Rose Tyler, fat lot of good you are." He groaned as he followed the two youngest Tyler's towards the front door.

"Oh come off it Doctor." Rose said glancing over her shoulder. "Just suck it up and accept the fact that you were whining."

"Well you'd be too if you were forced to sit in the back seat."

"I did sit in the back seat."

"You're not a Time Lord." He retorted.

She scoffed a laugh as the door opened for her and the doorman greeted her with a bow and a respectful, "Miss Tyler." Rose thanked him and let out a small sigh of relief as the warmth of the inside of the house hit her frost bitten nose and cheeks. She leaned to to eye level with Tony and removed his jacket and slung it over her shoulder. "Go on," She lightly slapped his bottom as she stood up and smiled, "Go play."

The three year old giggled and ran off past Jackie and Donna who were standing near the main stair case.

"I'll take that from you Miss Tyler." The doorman approached her, eyeing Tony's jacket still hanging over her shoulder.

"Oh sure." She shrugged the jacket off and placed it in his hands and then removed her own jacket gave it to him as well.

He folded them neatly over his arm and then turned to the Doctor. "And you sir?"

The Doctor stared at him cluelessly for a moment and then looked down at himself to see his familiar brown trench coat still covering him. "Oh, no I'm good." He shoved his hands into his bigger-on-the-inside pockets.

Over the shoulder of the door man Rose mouthed _"Rude!"_ and he simply grinned.

"Yes sir of course." The doorman bowed his head and then swiftly walked down the hall towards the hall closet.

The Doctor then turned to Rose, still grinning. "You have servants."

"Shut up." She snapped and he hummed in amusement, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"I bet you just love that." He directed his comment at Jackie.

"I do actually."

"No surprise there." He muttered tilting his head towards Rose and she smirked, shaking her head at him.

"Watch it you, just cuz you're all the way over there doesn't mean I won't slap you." Jackie frowned snapping a pointer finger in his direction.

The Doctor shrugged indifferently and Jackie was about to take a step towards him when they heard a voice from upstairs call down, "Jacks? That you?"

"You totally lucked out on that one." Rose giggled from where she stood now by the Doctor's side.

Pete Tyler descended the stairs like the nobleman of this world that he was and smiled at all the people congregated in the main hall. He paused at the base of the stairs to kiss Jackie's cheek sweetly and Jackie's stern expression melted away as she returned her husband's smile.

"Did you enjoy your shopping trip?"

Jackie gasped. "Oh blimey! I left the bags in the car! Be back in a tic!" She bustled past the Doctor and Rose to head back out the door and the couple watched her, amused.

Pete chuckled under his breath, hiding a smirk although Jackie wasn't there to see him laughing at her.

It was then that he finally seemed to notice his guests and he approached the Doctor, his arm extending outward towards him. "Doctor," He nodded his head in greeting as the two men shook hands, "I can honestly say I have never been more glad to see anyone in my life." He turned a soft, loving look upon Rose and Rose smiled back at him, her eyes shining with happiness.

"Pete Tyler." The Doctor grinned at him, also stealing a glance at Rose before looking back at the millionaire. "Always a pleasure."

"Yes," Pete agreed, now shoving his hands in his pockets, "Though hopefully this time it remains under good circumstances. One that doesn't involve putting all our lives in danger."

"Oh come on now, where's the fun in that?" The Doctor remarked, chuckling deeply.

Pete's lips twitched in a half hearted smirk. "You may live for that kind of thing Doctor but I prefer my life adventure free and alien-less."

"Ah, well," The Doctor tugged at his ear lightly, "technically speaking the cybermen, at least the ones in this world were not aliens. They were cyber-creatures created from human beings by a human being,"

"I am well aware of that Doctor." Pete said, a dark look crossing over his face, clearly remembering the first time the Cybermen invaded his Earth and his home. "But quite unfortunately the cybermen were not the only creatures to invade the Earth since you left."

"You're kidding." The Doctor raised his brow, now intrigued.

"Ask Rose." Pete motioned to his daughter. "She's been working at Torchwood since she's been here, any alien invasion goes right through her."

"Invasions?" The Doctor questioned now turning to Rose, "You've had invasions?"

Rose shrugged. "Nothing too serious. Nothing like the slitheen or the sycorax, it was crash landings mostly, _real_ crash landings. They were confused and lost and really just wanted to get back to their own planet. I didn't have the TARDIS to translate for me as usual but Torchwood managed pretty nicely. We got a few threats and sometimes I came home with a few bumps and bruises but over all I think the alien activity hasn't been bad...what?"

The Doctor was grinning at her widely, his face all lit up and his eyes shining like she'd just told him the best news he'd ever received. He suddenly grabbed her by the arms and pulled her towards him, planting an affectionate kiss to her forehead. "Rose Tyler, defender of the Earth." He boasted proudly. "See, you don't need me."

She shook her head in protest. "I'll always need you Doctor, for the rest of my life."

The Doctor's smile faded into a softer, loving, yet somehow sadder smile and he lifted his hand to brush a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Forever?"

She leaned into his palm with a smile, never breaking eye contact with him. "Forever." She echoed.

Their moment was quickly broken when the front door slammed open and Jackie stumbled in with all the bags. Rose jumped away from the Doctor to help her mother and his face fell at the loss but the amusement was quickly back on his face as he watched Jackie stumble across the hall, dragging the bags along.

"Blimey Jacks," Pete rubbed the back of his head, surveying the scene before him, "How much did you buy?"

"There was just a couple things I forgot to buy." She elaborated.

"A couple?" He questioned incredulously and she glared at him.

"Tell me about it." Rose muttered behind her own pile of bags and as she walked to where her mother was her foot caught on the rug and she stumbled forward. The Doctor, whose eyes hadn't left her, acted quickly and his arms shot out, catching her around the waist and pulling her tight against his body and all the bags toppled to the floor.

Rose grabbed onto the Doctor's arms tightly to steady herself although it was unnecessary with the way the Doctor was holding onto her. He watched her intently, his eyes full of concern and then to his, and everyone else's surprise, she started to laugh.

She lifted herself up so she was standing up right but his arms still remained around her and she looked up at him and he looked down at her, his face contorted in just a bit of confusion and she started to laugh harder. She released her hold on his arms and started to slap his chest lightly and his confused expression switched back to one of concern at her odd behavior. "Rose...?"

She let out a loud high pitched squeal of laughter, grabbed tightly onto his lapels and buried her face in his chest so her peals of laughter were muffled.

He lifted his head to exchange confused glances with the other three occupants of the room as Rose continued to laugh hysterically against him.

"Rose, sweetheart, what's so funny?" Jackie finally asked.

Rose could only shake her head in response to overcome with laughter to speak. She slowly began to calm down and lifted her head off of the Doctor's chest and as a few giggles escaped her she smoothed out the wrinkles she had put in his coat.

"Is she normally like this?" Donna asked quietly, speaking to Jackie and Pete.

"No." Jackie shook her head. "She's not...Rose, are you alright?"

"F-fine, mum, I'm fine." Rose let out a deep breathe and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"Alright then, would you mind explaining to us what was so bloody funny?"

"Nothing," Rose giggled again and then cleared her throat, finally pushing herself fully away from the Doctor and running her hands through her hair. "It was nothing. Well, I guess cuz I tripped but I dunno, I guess I haven't laughed in such a long time you know, I needed to get it all out. It was bottled up inside or something."

"I have to admit it was good to see you smiling Rose." Pete said with a soft smile.

"And to hear you laughing." Jackie agreed, also smiling. "I was beginning to worry I'd never hear that sound again." She smiled tearfully, directing her eyesight to the Doctor. He caught her stare and his eyes widened and he took a step back, the look in her eyes scaring him more than her glare did.

"You brought me my daughter back." Jackie said softly approaching him and he shot a horrified look at Rose.

"Jackie...no, don't...really, please, don't..." He held up his hands in front of him acting as a protective shield from Rose's overbearing mother but the defense proved to be useless and soon Jackie had him in a tight hug.

He stood perfectly still, his arms at his sides, staring down at Jackie as if she were a dalek who suddenly grew the ability to walk. He shot a helpless, pleading look at Rose and he looked so defenseless, now wriggling in the arms of her mother that Rose had to help him.

"Alright mum," She laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a small push away from the Doctor and Jackie got the message and let go. The Doctor let out a sigh of relief and stepped to the other side of Rose using her now as his protection from Jackie Tyler.

"I was just expressing my gratitude, is all. Thought he would like it better than a slap anyway." Jackie explained.

The Doctor frowned and started to rub his cheek just at the thought. "Bit too...domestic."

"Oh," Jackie rolled her eyes, "Please, don't pull that crap with me. You hug Rose all the time."

"That's different." The Doctor insisted. "Rose is my companion, my _friend, _ my-" He trailed off and Rose whirled around to face him an anxious question written in her eyes. His what? She was his what? He locked eyes with her for a moment or two and then cleared his throat awkwardly, returning to talk to Jackie, not missing the disappointed look that crossed Rose's pretty face. "Hugging her _mother_ on the other hand is a completely different story. I don't do mothers."

Donna snorted in laughter suddenly breaking the awkward silence that fell upon the room. They all turned to look at her incredulously and she covered her mouth with her hand, muffling her giggles and apologies.

"Oh for the love of -" Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to check on Tony, its too weird down here." As she turned to go up the stairs she grabbed hold of Pete's hand and smiled sweetly. "Pete, be a dear and put all the bags in the closet yeah? Thanks, love." She kissed his cheek before strutting up the stairs.

"Sure thing Jacks." He muttered dryly eyeing the bags with disdain.

"Oi." Donna laughed. "She's got you whipped mate."

"Tell me about it." Pete remarked with a heavy sigh.

"I'll help you with those." Donna said and reached out to pick up the bags.

"Oh," Pete reeled in surprise and gathered up some himself, "Thank you that's very kind. I'm sorry I didn't quite catch your name."

"Donna." Donna answered as they walked down the hall, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone in the massive hallway.

The Doctor avoided her gaze for a moment or two and when he finally did look over to her, he was surprised to see her grinning at him, her tongue between her teeth. As an automatic reaction to her beautiful smile, a grin spread across his face as well and she laughed quietly, throwing her head back.

The sound of her laughter was music to his ears and he decided then that it was one of the best sounds in the whole universe. He missed it, he missed everything about her, but he didn't realize how much until she was right there in front of him, laughing and smiling just as she used to. The hole in chest that had been ripped open when she was taken from him had begun to seal itself through Martha and Donna, they took away the stabbing pain of loneliness, they gave him friendship and strength but they didn't, they couldn't make him complete. But having Rose here beside him now, he felt complete again, like despite all the destruction and danger and death around him, everything was right all because of her.

Brilliant Rose Marion Tyler.

She suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts as her hand slipped into his and she gave him a tug forward. "Come on!"

"Where are we going?" He asked allowing himself to be dragged along by Rose.

"I'll show you around." She threw a grin over her shoulder, a grin that if he was being completely honest, melted his hearts into Time Lord goo.

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><p>Hours passed and they had finished supper just an hour ago. Rose volunteered to put Tony to bed and after a half an hour of him struggling and resisting, she finally managed to get him to fall asleep and she came back downstairs to rejoin her family and friends.<p>

Though when she reached the sitting room where she had left everybody she saw Jackie and Donna laughing about something on the sofa while Pete sat watching them with an amused smirk in the arm chair but there was no sign of the Doctor.

"Has anyone seen the Doctor?" Rose asked, her heart lurching. She always hated it when he disappeared and didn't say where he was going and now she hated it more than ever. She had finally got him back and she was not going to let him wander off again. The only reassurance she had that he was still around was the fact that Donna was there and the TARDIS was non-functional at the moment.

Jackie and Donna shook their heads in answer but soon returned to their gossip. Pete shrugged helplessly, "Sorry sweetheart."

"Great." She muttered under her breath and turned away from the door. She started to roam the large mansion in search of her Doctor, asking staff if they had seen him, which of course, they hadn't.

She searched every hallway and every room, calling out his name and tried to remember if any of the room she had shown him earlier caught his attention.

She paused near a window on the second floor with her arms crossed over her chest. She rested her head against the cool glass trying to think where he could have gone when something caught her eye outside.

Standing in the large expanse of her backyard was a lone figure. At any other time she would have alerted the security but the billowing coat and his sticky-upy hair silhouetted in the moonlight gave away his identity.

Relief flooded through her and she quickly ran downstairs, grabbed her coat out of the closet and made her way outside. She shivered as the brisk december night air hit the exposed skin of her face and neck.

She padded across the hard, near frozen grass to reach the Doctor and upon reaching him, looped her arm with his. "Hey you." She greeted, leaning into his shoulder with a smile.

He blinked, tearing his intense gaze away from the stars above to look down at her and he smiled softly.

"What'cha doing out here?" She asked.

"Oh," He blew a puff of air out his lips and looked back at the sky. "Just star gazing."

Rose turned her eyes to the stars and sighed quietly. "You know," She mused, "I came out here all the time looking up watching for that little blue box wondering if you were ever gonna come back, if I could ever travel the stars again."

The smile faded off of his face and he once more turned his head to look at her.

"Mum thought I was crazy." She laughed bitterly. "They didn't think you were ever gonna come back. I mean I guess they had a point - you said I'd never see you again, that travel between worlds was now more than ever, impossible. But not me," She shook her head, her eyes still focused heavily on the stars. "Not me. I believed, I had to believe. You're the Doctor, you can do anything."

"Weeelll, I wouldn't say anything."

"I would." She snapped her gaze to him and an adoring smile crossed her lips.

He stared back at her in silence, not quite knowing what to say in reply. Rose's faith in him always astounded him and he wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve such a person in his life.

Rose's sweet, warm smile slowly grew into a bright grin and she bumped his shoulder playfully, her tongue sticking out between his teeth.

A grin, equally as bright as hers, spread across his face and he nudged her right back causing them to both laugh happily and simultaneously turn their eyes to the stars.

Their laughter soon faded and they were left standing there with small but contended smiles on their lips, their bodies pressed up against one anothers with minimal to no space between them. Rose let out a quiet sigh and her head fell to rest lightly on the Doctor's shoulder. He glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye, smiled to himself and then refocused his attention on the stars.

"You miss it already don't you?" Rose asked after a long while of silence.

"Yes well, I'm not very good at being stuck." He replied nearly spitting the last word out as if it were some kind of disease.

"It's not like you're stuck forever though." Rose said reassuringly. "Right? I mean the TARDIS needs a few days to recuperate and then we'll back up there."

His hearts violently leaped in his chest at her words. "We?" His eyes settled on her and she lifted her head, frowning slightly.

"Yeah, we. What d'ya think I'm gonna stay here? Not a chance." She shook her head stubbornly, her mind clearly made up. "No way. I'm coming with you. It's where I belong, up there among the stars, meeting new species and saving them. All of that, I've missed it too much." She swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat and she buried her face into his chest, inhaling his scent and feeling his warmth penetrate her every fiber. "I've missed you too much."

He wasn't sure why he even questioned her in the first place. Countless times she had left her family for him, twice going with the knowledge that she'd might possibly never see them again. Rose wasn't just another companion, she didn't see her time on the TARDIS, her friendship with him just a quick joy ride, a few adventures and then back home to her real life. The TARDIS, his life, was her life. She promised him forever and she had meant it, the TARDIS was her home as much as it was his.

He unlocked his arm from hers and instead slipped it around her waist pulling her against him tighter and smiling, he buried his nose into her hair. He left a long, lingering kiss to the top of her head and then uttered a single word. "Fantastic."

"That is..." Her voice was weaker now. "If you still want me."

"What?" He laughed in shock. "Rose Tyler, you brilliant girl, why wouldn't I want you?"

"I dunno." She shrugged and kicked at the grass lightly. "You've got Donna."

He pressed her tighter against him and smiled into her hair. "Donna is brilliant, absolutely brilliant, really she is, but-" He trailed off and Rose could feel his muscles tightening against her so she frowned, lifting her head to look at him.

"But what, Doctor?"

"Well," He let out a long breath and she was a bit taken aback by how unsure of himself he seemed. The most feared man in all the cosmos, the Oncoming Storm, the last of the Time Lords, looked like a preteen boy trying to ask a girl out to a school dance. Her heart leapt at the thought. Surely the Doctor didn't regard her in such a way...

"Well..." She pressed him, her eyebrows perked in anxiousness.

"Well." He repeated and finally locked onto her eyes and her breath was stolen by the intensity she saw in those brown orbs. "She's not you."

If breathing wasn't an automatic brain function Rose could have sworn she literally forgot how to breathe. Those words, coming from him, was almost as good as an 'I love you'. After she'd met Sarah Jane she feared that, even though the Doctor told her otherwise, one day she would be left behind and the Doctor would go on traveling and she'd just become another of his companions that he'd never speak of. But to her great surprise and pleasure, he not only never forgot about her, but he had mentioned her to Donna and that said everything.

"Rose?"

She blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall and she let out a breath, beaming up at him. "You talked about me."

"What?" He crinkled his brow.

"Donna knew who I was. You mentioned me to her."

"Oh." He blanched and used his free hand to scratch the back of his neck. "Yes, actually, quite alot. Bit mopey I was."

"Why?" She shook her head lightly. "Why me? I mean you never mentioned anyone to me, not even Sarah Jane but you talked about me. Not that I'm complaining or anything, just wondering really..."

His eyebrows rose and he sucked in a deep breathe, turning his gaze to the sky as she watched him anxiously. His eyes narrowed slightly as always when he went deep in thought. She swallowed nervously and her heart pounded as she awaited his answer. She bit down on her lip softly and fiddled with his tie, wondering what was running through that powerful brain of his.

"Because," He finally spoke and she held her breath in anticipation. "Well, Rose Tyler, it's because I -"

"Oi! You two!"

Rose's eyes slammed shut and she mentally cursed her mother's horrible timing. She ran her hands through her hair as the Doctor's grip loosened around her and she reluctantly took a step away from him to turn towards her mother.

"What is it, mum?" She called back not even bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"What're you doing out here? It's freezing! You're gonna catch your death!"

"We're fine!" Truth be told she hadn't noticed the cold after a while. The Doctor's warmth combined with the heat that swam through her veins at their topic of conversation kept her pretty toasty.

"Like hell you are! Rose, come back inside now! I'm not gonna have you be getting sick for Christmas!"

"I said we're fine, Mum!"

"Listen to her." The Doctor's voice was suddenly in her ear and a shock wave was sent through her entire body. "Let's go inside."

He grabbed her hand in his and was amazed to find that where her hands were almost numb from the cold air his were warm. She frowned as the Doctor started to lead her in towards the house. She wanted to stay out there with him, she wanted to talk to him alone, she wanted, she _needed_ to know what he was going to say and she had a feeling that the moment was gone and even if she did manage to get him alone inside the house he wouldn't say a word, at least not about that.

"I don't even know how you can stand being out here." Jackie said as soon as they couple reached her. The older woman had a light sweater on and had her arms wrapped around herself and she was shivering.

"S'not so bad." Rose muttered with a shrug.

"You're crazy you are." Jackie huffed and then looked at the Doctor. "And what about you then? In just that? You gotta be freezing."

"Nah." He grinned. "Time Lord, more resistant to weather. Has to be pretty cold out there to get me to feel it."

"I don't know how you ever got used to him." Jackie pointed to the Doctor but looked at Rose.

Rose smirked and looked up at the Doctor. "Sometimes, when I'm with him, I forget that I'm human."

"Oh that's just brilliant." Jackie remarked her voice dripping with sarcasm and with a roll of her eyes turned on her heel to walk down the hall. "Making my daughter believe she's an alien, bad enough she has to be with them everyday, now this! I don't know what I'm gonna do with the two of you. Gonna make me turn all grey and senile you are and let me tell you something I am way too young for that..." Her voice trailed off as she disappeared around the corner and Rose stifled a laugh as the Doctor shook his head in mirth.

"Come on," She sighed and gave his hand a squeeze, "Let's go see what everyone is up to." Laughing, she pulled a groaning Doctor back towards the sitting room.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews! I've got even more fluff for you to enjoy!**_

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><p>Two a.m., Christmas Eve and the Tyler mansion was still and silent.<p>

A door squeaked open and Rose peered out into the dim hallway. She bit her lip softly, glancing down the hallway to the master bedroom where her parents lay fast asleep and the other direction where her little brother lay curled up dreaming of the presents to come.

She quietly tip toed out into the hallway and gently closed her door behind her. She maneuvered through the dark hallway squinting in the darkness to see where she was going.

She slithered past Tony's room and turned the corner heading towards the guest suites. The lights were out in the room given to Donna but the room next to Donna's had light streaming out from the crack under the door. Just as Rose had suspected, the Doctor was not asleep.

She carefully walked past Donna's room and stopped in front of the Doctor's. Very quietly she rapped on the door and called in a loud whisper, "Doctor?"

In the still quiet of the house she could hear movement from inside and moments later the door creaked open and the Doctor appeared looking a bit surprised to see her. "Rose? Is everything alright?"

However his question was lost on her as she took in sight of his appearance. His trench coat and pinstriped jacket were gone as was his tie. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows and the first few buttons were undone showing off just enough of his chest. She'd seen him in less, hell after he first regenerated and passed out _someone_ had to change him out of his old clothes and into the jammies and Jackie insisted that she sure as hell wouldn't do it. At that time she wasn't so interested in examining his body, she wasn't even sure she liked him, wasn't sure she was convinced he was the Doctor.

But now, after she hadn't seen him in years, and after accepting that she was so deeply in love with him she couldn't help but admire him.

"...hello, Rose? Earth to Rose Tyler." His fingers snapped in front of her face and she was shaken from her hypnosis.

"What?" She asked, a bit dazed, her eyes scrolling up his chest, his neck, his jaw to finally settle on his handsome but crinkled in amusement face. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes snapped to the floor, grateful for the darkness of the hallway.

"Are you alright?" He repeated his earlier question and she nodded, braving a look up to his face.

"Yeah," She whispered, "I'm fine I just...I couldn't sleep is all."

His lips twitched in a sideways smirk but his eyes were soft and warm. He nodded once and took a step back, motioning her into the room.

"Thanks." She murmured, padding into the room and the Doctor quietly shut the door behind her.

She looked around the room and spotted the three articles of clothing missing from his body lying neatly on the bed along with his dirty old trainers on the floor. The bed was perfectly made (not such a surprise, the Doctor probably would not be touching it anytime soon). The desk chair was pulled out and angled, obviously indicating the Doctor's location for the last several hours.

"What were ya doing?" She asked, turning around to face him and nodding her head towards the chair.

"I was thinking."

"About?"

"Everything." He grinned.

"Everything." She repeated with a smirk. "Right."

Taking her response as doubt he started to ramble about everything that was on his mind for the last few hours.

"Alright!" She cut him off with a laugh. "I get the picture. You know everything."

"_Almost_ everything." He corrected walking back over to sit in his chair and he propped his feet up on the desk. "I am still, for example, trying to figure out how I was able to get here."

She walked over and hopped up on the desk to sit beside his feet. "How did you get here? I mean was it accidental like the first time we came here or..."

"Donna convinced me to try."

Rose smiled, she was beginning to like Donna more and more. "Why did Donna have to convince you?"

"Well," He tilted his head back, "As far as I knew it was impossible. Well, not impossible but both universes would fracture and everything would fall apart and I'd end up killing so many species in order to get back to you. I have to admit when we were first separated I wanted to do anything I could to try and get back to you even for a brief split second risking that fracture in the universe. But I couldn't..." He shook his head slowly. "You mean so much to me Rose and losing you was painful but I couldn't destroy the whole universe when my entire existence is revolved around protecting it."

She reached out and placed her hand over his shin and as his eyes met hers she smiled softly, "I understand. I wouldn't want you to do that for me."

His lips twitched in a warm smile and then he continued with a seemingly out of the blue statement. "Donna found your room."

"What?" She furrowed her brow.

"On the TARDIS. She found your room. I had asked the TARDIS to hide it, mostly from me but that day it happened to be out in the open and Donna felt like exploring. She found your room and she saw all the pictures you had of us and she asked me about you. I told her what happened at Canary Wharf and how travel between worlds was impossible and her response was simply 'bullocks!'."

Rose laughed aloud. She hadn't known Donna for that long of a time but she could imagine the feisty red head saying such a thing,

"She said I missed you way too much for my own good and the Doctor she knew was not the same Doctor she saw in those pictures."

"I remember I had a lot of pictures of your old self."

"Yes," He nodded, "But she didn't regard those. She was referring to the ones taken after my regeneration. She said that I had a darkness in me that she couldn't detect in those pictures and that whether or not I realized it I needed you. She asked me what was stopping me from finding you."

"And you told her that travel between worlds was impossible." Rose said now swinging her feet back and forth.

He tapped the side of his nose and then pointed at her. "Precisely. That's when she told me it was a load of garbage, that nothing should stop me from trying to get to you." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, his face scrunching up. "I ah, got a little angry at her for that. She was a human after all, she had no idea what I knew about the universe, about what could and could not be done."

"_Don't you _think_ that if there was any way, any way at _all_ for me to get Rose back I would do it? I can't do it Donna, I can't!" His eyes flashed with anger as he stood towering over his companion menacingly but the feisty redhead showed no sign of intimidation, in fact she was glaring right back at him. _

"_You can't, or you _won't?"_ She shot back. _

"_What?" He shouted, confused, frustrated and irritated. "What don't you understand about the word 'impossible'. It's _impossible. _It's not a matter of will I or won't I it's pure fact. I. Can't. Do it." _

"_Well obviously Rose got there somehow so its not impossible." _

_He growled in frustration and stormed away from his companion, running his hands wildly through his hair, stalking halfway around the console before spinning back to face her. _

"_There were cracks in the universe but I closed them, they're sealed off, forever. Permanently. If I tried the whole universe would fracture and we would all die, do you understand that Donna? Every single species in the whole universe, and let me tell you, you can't even being to _imagine_ how many of them there are, would all just disappear. I miss her, yes of course I miss her, very much in fact but she's not the first companion I've lost. And she's safe, she's with her family, she can go back to her normal life." He sighed heavily, calming himself down as he leaned against the console and washed a hand over his face. "I can't destroy the universe. I-I can't." _

_Donna's face softened as she observed the distressed Time Lord. She slowly crossed the room and slid her body next to his with only several inches between their shoulders. The Doctor wasn't looking at her, instead staring off at a blank spot on the wall, a frown heavily accenting his features. Donna sighed and stared at the spot with him. _

"_You remember Lance, right?" _

_He turned his head towards her, raising an eyebrow. "That pathetic excuse for a human being you called your fiance?" _

_Donna slapped his arm roughly and he flinched. "Yes him." _

_The Doctor took a step away from Donna and turned on his side to face her completely. "What about him?" _

"_I was in love with him." She whispered, her face washing over in melancholy. _

"_I know." _

"_There was once a time when I told myself I'd do anything for him." She met his eyes, challengingly. "Including tear the universe apart." _

_Annoyance flitted in his eyes and he sighed. "Donna..." _

"_No," She snapped, "Look at this girl." She held up the picture of Rose she still had in her hands. The Doctor's throat tightened as his eyes settled on the smiling face of Rose. That picture was taken when he had taken her to Reythil, a planet actually shaped like a banana and with a beach. She needed something relaxing after their first trip to the parallel world and losing Mickey so he thought Reythil would be a positively relaxing, non-threatening experience. When Rose stepped out into the warm air on one of the many beaches on Reythil she was thrilled and changed immediately for a day on the beach. However the Doctor forgot to mention that the water, although warm and pleasing to the Reythilians was not acceptable temperature for a fragile human. Instead of looking for another planet with an acceptable beach like the Doctor offered, Rose chose to stay on Reythil and just soak up the rays of their orange sun. As the two sat on the beach with a blanket they'd gotten from the TARDIS, Rose took out her camera and tried to take pictures of him but he kept protesting and shielding himself away from the photography device. One of the friendly Reythilians on the beach misunderstood their actions and came over to ask if they wanted him to take their picture. Rose grinned at the Doctor and handed her camera over to the blue scaly alien and pinched the Doctor on the leg so he'd keep quiet about it. He glowered at her side for a few moments but then when she rested her head on his shoulder he couldn't help but smile back and the picture was taken. _

_The Doctor took the picture out of Donna's hands and very softly ran his thumb over Rose's grinning face._

"_You can't say you wouldn't do the same thing for her." _

_The Doctor closed his eyes, flipped the picture over in his hands and pressed it face down against the console. "I can't." He whispered brokenly. _

"_There has to be a way." Donna whispered vehemently. _

"_There's not." His voice was dead now, void of all emotion but the pain was evident on his face. _

"_You said that you've been there before when you thought it was impossible, how?" _

"_It was an accident." He shook his head. "The TARDIS must have fallen through one of the cracks in time." _

"_Alright," Donna nodded, trying to understand. "So...can't you just do that again?" _

"_There are no more cracks in time." He spoke slowly and sternly, obviously trying to keep the Oncoming Storm at bay. "The last one I found I was only able to project an image through and even that required phenomenal amounts of energy. I had to burn up a supernova." _

"_Well then, find another supernova, power up this baby," She patted the TARDIS console, "and find your Rose." _

"_It's not that simple." _

"_It could be." _

"_No," He whirled on her, a dark look in his eyes, "It can't. That was the last crack and it was very, very small. I can't get through without a crack. It would destroy the whole universe and even if it didn't it would destroy the TARDIS. I was very, very lucky last time that she still had a bit of life in her left, I may not be so lucky next time and I will not destroy my ship." _

_She rolled her eyes. "You're so stubborn." _

"_I'm not stubborn, I'm a Time Lord. I know what I'm doing." _

"_Doctor-"_

"_Stop it." He hissed quietly. "Just stop it. It's impossible, and that's that." He pushed himself off the console and stormed away from Donna, running away as usual. He was just about to walk out of the console room when Donna stopped him with a question._

"_What would Rose do?" _

_His body tensed and he clenched his jaw and his fists clenched by his sides though he did not turn to face Donna. _

"_What would Rose tell you to do?" Donna asked again. "She'd want you to do anything you could." _

"_No." He whirled around quickly and paced over to her his face filled with rage. "She'd want me to do what was _right._" _

"_Would she though?" _

"_Yes." He growled. "Don't pretend like you know Rose." _

"_I'll tell you what I do know Doctor. I know that I've seen you do things that I thought were impossible. I mean, bloody hell, you can travel through time in a bloomin box that's bigger on the inside. You're an impossible man, Doctor. Impossible should not stop you, it should test you, cause you to say 'to hell with that, to hell with impossible.' " She grabbed his hands tightly in hers and he eyed her, his eyes still flashing dangerously. She grabbed the picture off the console and shoved it into one of his hands and then took that hand and placed it over one of his hearts. "Listen Doctor. For once put that big brain of yours to rest and just listen." _

_Their eyes remained locked for a few long tense seconds and then something softened in the Doctor's face and beneath her hand she could feel his muscles relax. She let go of his hand and took a step back to give him some space all the while keeping an eye on him. _

_His fingers twitched against the picture and he could practically feel Rose's presence through the picture and his already wild and erratic heart beat spiked. He closed his eyes and crushed the picture further against his chest as hundreds of thoughts flew in his brain, his logical, emotional, scientific, and spiritual minds all conflicting and arguing with one another. _

_Then quite suddenly and without warning the TARDIS lurched, knocking them both off balance. The Doctor's eyes slammed open and still holding the picture tightly in his grasp, he ran over to the console and ran his fingers frantically over every single button that helped to pilot his ship. _

"_What's going on?" Donna demanded, now holding onto one of the railings for dear life._

"_I don't know!" He shot back racing around the console, looking at the monitors. "What are you doing?" He demanded of the sentient time ship but the ship only lurched again sending the Doctor to the floor. _

_The shaking and lurching lasted for about another minute and then everything stopped and it was quiet again. _

_Donna straightened herself out and looked towards the door. "I'm almost afraid to ask where we are." _

"_So am I." The Doctor responded, leaping to his feet. He grabbed the monitor and turned it towards him, shaking his head at the coordinates. "We haven't landed on any planet. We're just floating in space!" _

_He ran over to the doors and swung them open and his eyes widened at the sight before him. "Oh." _

"_What? Oh What?" Donna asked frantically and ran up behind him, peering over his shoulder. Her eyes widened and she stared, slack jawed out the doors. "What in hell is that?" _

_He let a breath escape his lips. "That's a supernova...a really big one." _

"_Why'd the TARDIS take us here?" Donna asked, following the Doctor after he'd closed the doors and headed back towards the console. _

"_I think...but it can't..." He shook his head. _

"_What?" _

Find our Rose, my Doctor. _The familiar, soothing voice of the TARDIS rang in his mind and he shook his head, resting his hand against the console, feeling her hum against his palm. _

"_I can't..." He whispered. _

"_Can't what?" Donna demanded. _

Find her.

_His eyes closed tightly and he inhaled sharply. He held his breath for a long while with Donna watching on quietly, wondering what he was doing, and then finally he opened his eyes and looked down at the picture now a bit crinkled in his hand. "Donna." _

"_Yeah?" _

_A mischievous smirk formed on his lips and he turned to look at her. "Hold on to something." _

"So," The Doctor placed his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair, "The TARDIS brought me to the supernova and with my piloting she brought herself here."

"You do know how you got here then." Rose stated.

"Well technically speaking yes I do know how I got here but what I do not understand is how both universes are still perfectly intact."

Rose smiled and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I guess it really wasn't as impossible as you thought, travel between parallel worlds."

"It should be." He sighed.

"You sound disappointed." She noted.

"Not disappointed no just confused." He shook his head in irritation. "I don't like being confused. It's, well - confusing."

A smirk formed her lips and she huffed a laugh. "I really missed you."

He met her eyes and smiled warmly. "I missed you too." He admitted.

Her smirk grew into a bright smile and she bit her lip, averting her gaze like a shy teenager and focusing all her attention on where her hand was rested still on his shin. She noted that the ends of his pant leg slid up on his legs revealing the pale skin of his ankles. She found herself being drawn to it and her fingers trailed down his shin to his ankle. Her fingertips brushed over his bare skin and the flesh to flesh contact suddenly increased her heart rate. Without even realizing what she was doing Rose continued trailing her fingers slowly up his leg, bunching up the material of his pants to reveal more skin.

She got halfway up to his knee when the Doctor's voice startled her, "Rose, what are you doing?"

She withdrew her hand from his leg and settled into her lap. Her cheeks flushed and she cleared her throat. "I-I dunno...Sorry." She mumbled.

She did know though. She was feeling up the Doctor, granted it was just his leg but who knows how far she would have gone if he hadn't said anything. Her cheeks flamed red and her heart raced at just the thought.

Though if she hadn't been caught up in her own embarrassment she would have noticed the huskiness in his tone and the intensity in his eyes as he watched her.

The awkward, thick silence that then fell upon the room was luckily quickly broken by a sudden yawn from Rose. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth and her eyes finally met his and she noticed the amusement in those deep brown eyes.

"I thought you said you weren't tired."

"I never said that." She said. "I said that I couldn't sleep. Totally different."

He lowered his feet onto the floor and she couldn't help but watch as his long, skinny legs moved but she quickly snapped herself out of her ogling and looked back at his face. He leaned towards her, a concerned, soft smile crossing his lips. "You should go to bed, Rose. It's late."

"I can't." She whispered, shaking her head. "I just can't...I can't wake up and find out that this was all a dream."

He placed his hand over hers reassuringly and made sure their eyes were locked before he spoke. "It's not a dream, I promise. I'm here."

"You always say that." She muttered quietly.

His eyes narrowed in thought for a second and then he smiled, his eyes lighting up and she knew he got an idea. He stood from his seat and intwined their fingers together. "Come here." He tugged her off the desk and pulled her over to the bed.

"Doctor?" She questioned in mirth as she watched him pull down the bedding. "What are you doing?"

He stood near the edge of the bed and grinned at her, nodding towards the bed. "Go on, get in."

She looked between him and the bed and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Why?"

"My Rose, always questioning things." She couldn't deny the fluttering in her heart at his term of endearment. "Just get in the bed."

Her brow lifted suggestively. "Doctor, so forceful."

"Will you just... get in the bed, please?" He spluttered uncharacteristically and she held back a chuckle as she did as she was told and slid into bed. She settled down onto the pillow and crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at the Doctor inquisitively. "Would you mind telling me now why you ordered me into bed?"

Her eyes widened slightly as he not only crawled onto the bed with her but also got under the covers. "As a human being you need a good nights rest especially since tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Now being the ever so stubborn Rose Tyler I realize you will not go back to your own bed willingly." She shot him a look but her smile still remained intact because of how close he was. "And me, being the ever so brilliant Time Lord I am, have come up with a solution." He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, staring at her with a half smile. "You said you can't fall asleep because you fear when you wake up I won't be here?"

Rose nodded quietly and swallowed over the lump in her throat. She watched, her heart pounding rapidly as he moved his body closer and close until their bodies were touching. His arm then came to rest over her abdomen to hold her securely against him. She was too busy looking at his arm to notice his face moving closer to hers and she shivered when his lips ever so lightly brushed against her ear. "I promise you Rose Tyler, when you wake up you will be in my arms."

All of her breath left her lungs in a very quick second and a powerful shudder ripped through her body. She turned her head to the side and found herself nose to nose with him and she melted under the intense look in his eyes.

"Doctor..." His name unintentionally left her lips as breathy moan and his eyes fluttered closed briefly in response.

"Rose." Her name escaping his lips was all the initiative she needed to close the short distance between them. They kissed just hours ago but that was all raw passion and built up emotion. As theirs lips met now it was softer, sweeter, more loving.

With his arm still slung around her she shifted her position so she was on her side and slid her arm up to rest her hand lightly on the side of his face. Her heart leapt when his grip around her tightened and he pulled her closer and opened his mouth to allow the kiss to deepen.

It didn't get hot or heavy, it didn't need to. The couple was more than content to lie there and slowly and sensually explore the others mouth for the rest of the night.

However, Rose's human lungs proved to be an obstacle in that specific activity and she pulled away, only slightly, to allow herself to breathe. Their foreheads and their noses still remained in contact as Rose tried to catch her breathe but she was finding it rather difficult with the Doctor's warm hand resting on her bare back and their lips only a mere inches from touching again.

A soft whine bubbled from her throat when he pulled away and she felt his smirking lips against her forehead for a long moment. He then guided her head to rest under his chin and as she snuggled into his chest she found she liked being there almost as much.

She pressed a light kiss to his collarbone and she not only heard but felt his breath hitch. She smiled, pleased that she was able to rise that reaction out of him. She nuzzled his neck with her nose, kissed his skin once more and then settled down into the mattress, feeling the exhaustion sweeping over her.

She felt a calming peace wash over her as she lie protectively wrapped in the Doctor's arms. It was not something she had felt in a very long time and not once since she was trapped on this parallel Earth. It was a feeling she knew only the Doctor could bring her and it was unlike anything she had ever felt in any of her dreams.

Feeling safe, protected and _loved_ Rose was able to let herself drift off to sleep, curled up against the Doctor's chest not to stir until morning.

Once Rose's breathing was deep and even and her heart rate slowed to a normal _thump thump, thump thump_ and he was more than certain that was asleep, he pressed a gentle, loving kiss to the top of her head.

"Goodnight my love."

* * *

><p><em><strong>So I hope everyone wasn't OOC. I'd really love to hear what you guys thought!<strong>_


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